Unicycle stand construction



Oct. 24, 1967 F I G. 5

"if 26 t l H. A. SAUNDERS UNICYCLE STAND CONSTRUCTION Filed April '1, 1 966 F l G 4 INVENTOR HENRY A. SAUNDERS I MHZ ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,348,697 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 3,348,697 UNICYCLE STAND CONSTRUCTION Henry A. Saunders, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Persons- Majestic Mfg. Company, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 539,440 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-42) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE This invention relates to a new and improved stand for unicycles, and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of an inexpensive portable and foldable device of the class described which can be stored and shipped fiat or substantially so but has a standard that is easily erected for the reception for instance of one of the pedals of the unicycle while the wheel thereof is mounted on the stand in order to hold the unicycle in upright erect position wherever desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter. 7

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the stand with the unicycle mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale with the unicycle removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrow 4 in FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the stand in folded condition.

The present construction embodies a stand for the wheel of the unicycle and this stand very conveniently comprises a pair of rods and 12. The rod 10 is at the front of the device and the rod 12 parallel thereto and spaced therefrom is at the rear portion thereof. Both rods 10 and 12 may be provided with downturned feet upon which may be applied cover caps or the like if desired.

The two rods 10 and 12 are connected by a pair of spaced rods 14, 14 which as a matter of manufacture may be continuous, i.e., the rods being joined at the rear of the device by a strut or cross member 16 slightly to the rear of the rear rod 12, member 16 however being positioned above the plane of the rods 14 for a purpose to be described.

On the strut 16 there is provided a C-shaped member generally indicated at 18, this C-shaped member being applied in any way desired as by riveting or welding and including a pair of hooks 20, 20, the bights of which face each other. It will thus be seen that there is a double hook construction provided in a fixed manner with relation to the entire stand so far described, the hooks being raised somewhat above the level of the stand, i.e., rods 14. Pivitally mounted as by the bent portions 22 which form eyes embracing rod 12 is a standard comprising a pair of legs 24, 24. These are joined at the top by a cross member 26 which may be bent rearwardly slight as shown in FIG. 3 at 28 to receive the stem 30 of the unicycle.

It will be seen that the standard is swingably mounted on the rod 14 and may lie flat on the stand as shown in FIG. 5 and as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3, or it may be pivoted to an upright position as in FIGS. 2 and 3 in solid lines. In order to engage the lower portions of the legs 24, 24 in the hooks 20, 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, it is merely necessary to manually press the lower end portions of the legs 24, 24 toward each other as illustrated in doted lines in FIG. 2, so as to snap them past the ends or points of the books 20, whereupon being released they snap into the bights of the hooks 20 and are held in upright position.

When the parts are in this condition, the unicycle wheel is merely set onto the rods 14, 14 as shown in FIG. 1 and one of the pedals of the unicycle is positioned to the rear side of the legs 24, 24 and turned so as to straddle the same to prevent accidental dislodgment of the unicycle from the stand. With the unicycle in this position, its weight is largely located toward the rear of the stand, adjacent the standard and the device is in good solid hold ing position for the unicycle, and will not accidentally fall.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I .do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A folding stand for a unicycle comprising a base including a pair of spaced rods, a pair of legs swingably mounted at their ends on one rod, said legs being movably mounted to slide on said one rod, resilient measn normally tending to hold the legs in spaced relation, and means on said stand arranged to hold said legs in their normal spaced relationship, in upright condition thereof at a right angle to the plane of the rods, the legs when free of the last-named means being swingable into the general plane of the rods.

2. The folding stand of claim 1 wherein the leg holding means comprises a pair of hook-like members.

3. The folding stand of claim 1 wherein the leg holding means comprises a pair of hook-like members located generally in a plane parallel to the plane of the rods.

4. The folding stand of claim 1 wherein the leg holding means comprises a pair of hook-like members located generally in a plane parallel to the plane of the rods and facing each other.

5. The folding stand of claim 1 wherein said last-named means comprises a pair of hooks, said hooks being located in spaced relation with respect to the rod upon which the upright members are swivelly mounted.

6. The folding stand of claim 1 wherein said last-named means comprises a pair of hooks, said hooks being located in spaced relation with respect to the rod upon which the upright members are swivelly mounted, the wheel of the unicycle being adapted to be supported on the rods with one of the pedals of the unicycle extending between said legs and engaging them at the opposite side from the 'wheel of the unicycle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 69,494 9/1887 Bailey 21120 1,344,226 6/1920 Hantsch 21l22 1,590,910 6/1926 RumRill 248-- XR 3,116,836 1/1964 McCauley 2l121 ROY n. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

K. I. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FOLDING STAND FOR A UNICYCLE COMPRISING A BASE INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED RODS, A PAIR OF LEGS SWINGABLY MOUNTED AT THEIR ENDS ON ONE ROD, SAID LEG BEING MOVABLE MOUNTED TO SLIDE ON SAID ONE ROD, RESILIENT MEANS NORMALLY TENDING TO HOLD THE LEGS IN SPACED RELATION, AND MEANS ON SAID STAND ARRANGED TO HOLD SAID LEGS IN THEIR NORMAL SPACED RELATIONSHIP, IN UPRIGHT CONDITION THEREOF AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE PLANE OF THE RODS, THE LEGS WHEN FREE OF THE LAST-NAMED MEANS BEING SWINGABLE INTO THE GENERAL PLANE OF THE RODS. 